Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A rock picking apparatus that removably attaches to a front end of a primary
moving vehicle, comprising:
a forward dumping bucket including a back plate adapted for attachment to
the front end of the vehicle, a base plate spaced from the back plate, a pair of side plates
connected to the back plate and the base plate, and a plurality of spaced, parallel, elongated
steel bars extending in a substantially horizontal plane between the base plate and the back
plate;
the back plate, the base plate, the pair of side plates, and the steel bars
defining a bucket storage area which is closed at a rear end thereof by the back plate and
which is open at a front end thereof;
a plurality of angled grate forks attached to a centre support member
mounted on the base plate, said grate forks being angled so as to extend in a direction
generally toward the back plate of the bucket, and said centre support member being
configured so as to form a raised ridge upon a base plate;
a rotating reel rotationally supported by, and extending between, the pair of
side plates, the rotating reel including a tooth mounting bracket having a plurality of teeth
attached thereto and projecting outwardly therefrom; and
drive means connected to the reel for rotating the reel.
2. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rotating reel
further includes angle leg members disposed at opposite ends of the tooth mounting
bracket.
3. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 2, further including a mounting
pin extending from each angle leg member, each said side plate including a mounting pin
opening which receives a respective one of said mounting pins, said mounting pins being
secured by a mounting pin clamp bolted to each said side plate.
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4. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said drive means
comprises a hydraulic motor connected to a rear sprocket wheel, a front sprocket wheel
fixedly attached to one of said mounting pins, and a chain looped around the rear sprocket
wheel and the front sprocket wheel.
5. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said teeth are offset
from said grate forks so that the teeth pass between the grate forks when the reel is rotated.
6. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a
protective operating shield attached to the bucket for protecting an operator of the primary
moving vehicle.
7. A rock picking apparatus that removably attaches to a front end of a primary
moving vehicle, comprising:
a forward dumping bucket including a back plate adapted for attachment to
the front end of the vehicle, a base plate spaced from the back plate, a pair of side plates
connected to the back plate and the base plate, and a plurality of spaced, parallel elongated
steel bars extending in a substantially horizontal plane between the base plate and the back
plate;
the back plate, the base plate, the pair of side plates, and the steel bars
defining a bucket storage area which is closed at a rear end thereof by the back plate and
which is open at a front end thereof;
a carriage pivotally attached to an upper bracket which is mounted at an
upper end of the bucket such that said carriage is able to pivot between open and closed
positions relative to the bucket, the carriage including a pair of side walls spaced from each
other by a back wall and a base bracket extending between the side walls;
a plurality of angled grate forks attached to the base bracket and extending
in a direction generally toward the back plate of the bucket when the carriage is in the
closed position;
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a rotating reel rotationally supported by, and extending between, the pair of
side walls, the rotating reel including at least one tooth mounting bracket having a plurality
of teeth attached thereto and projecting outwardly therefrom;
hydraulic means connected to the bucket and the carriage for actuating the
carriage between the open and the closed positions; and
drive means connected to the reel for rotating the reel.
8. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said reel includes a
centre shaft portion and at least one cross bar integrally connected to the centre shaft
portion and supporting the at least one tooth mounting bracket.
9. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 8, further including a mounting
pin extending from each end of said centre shaft portion, each said side wall of the carriage
including a mounting pin opening which receives a respective one of said mounting pins,
said mounting pins being secured by a mounting pin clamp bolted to each said side wall.
10. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said drive means
comprises a hydraulic motor attached to a rear sprocket wheel, a front sprocket wheel
fixedly attached to one of said mounting pins, and a chain looped around the rear sprocket
wheel and the front sprocket wheel.
11. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rotating reel
includes an additional tooth mounting bracket having a plurality of teeth attached thereto
and projecting outwardly therefrom.
12. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said teeth are offsetfrom said grate forks so that the teeth pass between the grate forks when the reel is rotated.
13. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising at least
one base support attached to, and extending between, said base plate and said back plate
for strengthening the bucket.
14. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the upper bracket
includes a pair of up-turned ends and said carriage includes a pair of carriage arms adjacent
said up-turned ends, and locking bolts pivotally connecting the up-turned ends and the
carriage arms thus permitting pivoting of the carriage relative to the bucket.
15. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said hydraulic means
comprises a hydraulic cylinder having a turnbuckle assembly at a first end thereof
connected to a mounting bracket on one of said side plates and having a turnbuckle
assembly at a second end thereof connected to a mounting bracket on one of said side
walls.
16. A rock picking apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality
of support braces extending between the side walls and the back wall.
17. A rock picking apparatus that removably attaches to a front end of a primary
moving vehicle, comprising:
a forward dumping bucket including a back plate adapted for attachment to
the front end of the vehicle, a base plate spaced from the back plate, a pair of side plates
connected to the back plate and the base plate, and a plurality of spaced, parallel, elongated
steel bars extending in a substantially horizontal plane between the base plate and the back
plate;
the back plate, the base plate, the pair of side plates, and the steel bars
defining a bucket storage area which is closed at a rear end thereof by the back plate and
which is open at a front end thereof;
a plurality of angled grate forks attached to a centre support member
mounted on the base plate, said grate forks being angled so as to extend in a direction
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generally toward the back plate of the bucket, and said centre support member being
configured so as to form a raised ridge upon the base plate;
a rotating reel rotationally supported by, and extending between, the pair of
side plates, the rotating reel including a tooth mounting bracket having a plurality of teeth
attached thereto and projecting outwardly therefrom and angle leg members disposed at
opposite ends of the tooth mounting bracket, said teeth being offset from said grate forks
so that the teeth pass between the grate forks when the reel rotates, and a mounting pin
extending from each angle leg member, each said side plate including a mounting pin
opening which receives a respective one of said mounting pins, said mounting pins being
secured by a mounting pin clamp bolted to each said side plate;
reversible drive means connected to the reel for rotating the reel, said drive
means comprising a reversible hydraulic motor attached to a rear sprocket wheel, a front
sprocket wheel fixedly attached to one of said mounting pins, and a chain looped around
the rear sprocket wheel and the front sprocket wheel; and
a protective operating shield attached to the bucket for protecting an operator
of the primary moving vehicle.
18. A rock picking apparatus that removably attaches to a front end of a primarymoving vehicle, comprising:
a forward dumping bucket including a back plate adapted for attachment to
the front end of the vehicle, a base plate spaced from the back plate, a pair of side plates
connected to the back plate and the base plate, and a plurality of spaced, parallel, elongated
steel bars extending in a substantially horizontal plane between the base plate and the back
plate;
the back plate, the base plate, the pair of side plates, and the steel bars
defining a bucket storage area which is closed a rear end thereof by the back plate and
which is open at a front end thereof;
a carriage pivotally attached to a bracket which is mounted at an upper end
of the bucket for pivoting movements between open and closed positions relative to the
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bucket, the carriage including a pair of side walls spaced from each other by a back wall
and a base bracket extending between the side walls;
a plurality of angled grate forks attached to the base bracket and extending
in a direction generally toward the back plate of the bucket when the carriage is in the
closed position;
a rotating reel rotationally supported by, and extending between, the pair of
side walls, the rotating reel including a centre shaft portion, at least one cross bar integrally
connected to the centre shaft portion and supporting at least one tooth mounting bracket,
said at least one tooth mounting bracket having a plurality of teeth attached thereto and
projecting outwardly therefrom, said teeth being offset from said grate forks so that the
teeth pass between the grate forks when the reel is rotated;
a mounting pin extending from each end of said centre shaft portion, each
said side wall of the carriage including a mounting pin opening which receives a respective
one of said mounting pins, said mounting pins being secured by a mounting pin clamp
bolted to each said side wall;
lifting means connected to the bucket and the carriage for actuating the
carriage between the open and the closed positions, said lifting means comprising a
turnbuckle assembly at a first end thereof connected to a mounting bracket on one of said
side plates and having a turnbuckle assembly at a second end thereof connected to a
mounting bracket on one of said side walls; and
reversible drive means connected to the reel for rotating the reel, said
reversible drive means attached to a rear sprocket wheel, a front sprocket wheel fixedly
attached to one of said mounting pins, and a chain looped around the rear sprocket wheel
and the front sprocket wheel.
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